Cruciform device for praying the rosary



1955 s. A. ALONSO ET AL CRUCIFORM DEVICE FOR PRAYING THE ROSARY Filed July 6, 1954 United States Patent CRUCIFORM DEVICE FOR PRAYING THE ROSARY Sergio Antonio Alonso and Jose Fruns, Mexico City, Mexico Application July 6, 1954, Serial No. 441,618

Claims priority, application Mexico March 17, 1954 4 Claims. (Cl. -23) The present invention relates, in general, to devices for praying the rosary and refers, more particularly, to a new device of this kind incorporating a cruciform body with elements movably mounted thereon, so that the cruciform body serves as a crucifix as well as for a prayer counter.

As is Well known, praying the rosary is one of the devotions most widely practiced among members of the Roman Catholic Church, and a rosary consists of a series of five Mysteries or groups of prayers, each integrated in turn by ten Ave Marias, there being prayed, between each of these Mysteries or groups of prayers, a dilferent prayer which normally is a Pater Noster.

In order to keep track of the number of prayers of a rosary, a string of beads has been used traditionally, said string also being designated with the same name of rosary.

On the other hand, it is likewise a very common practice, among the members of the Roman Catholic Church, to possess a cross, preferably a crucifix.

Now the principal object of our invention is to provide a device which will serve as a cross or crucifix and serve at the same time to keep track of the number of prayers upon praying the rosary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for praying the rosary as above indicated and which is characterized by being constituted by a body in the shape of a cross incorporating movable elements mounted thereon, said elements serving for keeping track of the number of prayers.

A further object of the invention is to furnish an article of the kind aforesaid wherein the counting of the prayers prayed is effected by means of movable elements mounted on the cruciform body, both vertically and horizontally.

Still another object of the invention is to furnish a cruciform body whereupon are mounted movable elements which serve to keep track of the number of prayers prayed, whereby there is provided a device that is very compact and accordingly easy to carry and to use, at the same time that it simplifies the counting operation and avoids errors in said operation, inasmuch as the movable plates indicate the number of prayers prayed.

The above objects of our invention, as also its detailed characteristics and advantages, will easily be appreciated by those skilled in the art in view of the following description and the drawings attached in illustration thereof.

In said attached drawings, Figure 1 is an elevational view of a device constructed in accordance with this invention, seen from the rear, there being mounted, on said rear portion, the movable elements for counting the prayers prayed.

Figures 2 and 3 are conventional perspective views of the metallic structure, comprising longitudinal and transverse members, which form the cross.

Figure 4 is a view, also in conventional perspective,

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of a spring element carried by the device to deter slightly the possibility of movement or slipping of the movable elements which serve for keeping track of the number of prayers.

Figures 5 and 6 are, respectively, a front view and a sectional side view, of one of the movable elements which serve for counting the prayers, in the form of embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a conventional perspective view of one of the caps or end elements borne by each of the ends of the members of the cruciform body; and finally Figures 8 and 9 are, respectively, a rear and a side view of the device as constructed according to another form or variant of embodiment of the present invention.

According to the manner of carrying out the invention, illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, the device of the invention comprises a cruciform body constituted by vertical and transverse members, 11 and 12, respectively, the latter being provided with the cut-out portion 13 to provide for the intersection with the vertical element 11, which in turn is provided with a vertical cut-out portion 14. Said vertical and horizontal members, 11 and 12, form, on one of their faces, a bed or groove 15, wherein can be placed incmstations of leather, wood, plastic or some other suitable material, to impart an ornamental appearance to the front portion of the cross. On their opposite side said members 11 and 12 form rails 16, between which run small quadrangular plates 17, provided with a raised portion or boss, 18, on their central part.

In order that said plates 17, which constitute the movable members for keeping track of the number of prayers, cannot be moved or slid too easily and so that they may move only when a slight pressure is exerted thereon by the person who is using the device to count his prayers, the spring element 20, constituted by a steel zigzag band, is placed between said plates 17 and the surface 19 of members 11 and 12.

At the ends of each of the members forming the cruciform body are placed caps or terminal elements, 21, one of which is illustrated alone, as aforesaid, in Figure 7.

Plates 17 are movably mounted on vertical member 11 and are nine in number, being of an adequate size so that all of them may occupy, in succession, almost all the fiat surface of said member 11, so that it is always possible to effect the sliding movement of one of them. These movable plates or elements 17, mounted on vertical member 11, correspond to the Ave Marias and are nine in number since it is considered unnecessary to register the last prayer to be prayed in each series. However when so desired, these plates may be ten in number.

Plates 17, which are movably mounted on horizontal member 12, are four in number and likewise occupy only partially the surface of said member to leave room for sliding any of them. These plates are for counting the Mysteries or groups of Ave Marias prayed. They are four in number as it likewise is considered unnecessary to note down the last Mystery prayed, but if so desired they may be five in number.

In accordance with the variant form of embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, a cruciform body 22 is provided, on the lateral edges of its vertical member, with grooves 23 within which are movably mounted small sticklike pieces 24, by means of small bolts 25. According to the size of these small sticklike pieces, 24, they can or cannot be pivotally movable within the cruciform body when the device is not in use.

In this form of embodiment of the invention, below the transverse member of the cruciform body 22 and on the vertical member of said body, the sticklike pieces 24, which are ten in number, serve for counting the Ave Marias prayed; whereas the sticklike pieces 24 which are four in number and are placed above said transverse member, serve for counting the Mysteries prayed. 1

Of course when the cruciform body is a crucifix, there will be placed the figure of the Christ on the front of said body. 7 7

Likewise, of course, modifications can be made in the construction of devices according to the invention, with relation to the devices illustrated and described, without departing from the scope of said invention, the essential feature of which resides in a cruciform body such that the device serves both as a crucifix and as a prayer counter.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A cruciform device comprising a cruciform body with elements movably mounted thereon so that the cruciform body serves both as a crucifix and as a prayer counter, further characterized in that the cruciform body is constituted by members provided with an adequate cut-away portion so that said members may be caused to intersect with each other in coplanar relation, to form the cross, and each of such members provides, on one of its faces, lateral rails between which run the movable elements which serve for counting the number of prayers prayed.

2. A cruciform device comprising a cruciform body with elements movably mounted thereon so that the cruciform body serves both as a crucifix and as a prayer counter, wherein the cruciform body is constituted by two members intersecting in coplanar relation to form the cross, said members being provided, on one of their Cir faces, with lateral rails between which run the movable elements which serve for counting the number of prayers prayed; said device being further characterized in that said movable elements are constituted by small quadrangular plates, provided with a raised portion or boss on their central part.

3. A cruciform device comprising a cruciform body with elements movably mounted thereon so that said cruciform body serves both as a crucifix and as a prayer counter, according to the preceding claim, further characterized in that between the small quadrangular plates which constitute the movable elements for counting the prayers and the respective surface of the intersecting members which constitute the cruciform body, there is provided a spring element to avoid the possibility of said movable elements shifting or moving without pressure being exerted thereon by the person using the device.

4. A cruciform device comprising a cruciform body with elements movably mounted thereon so that the cruciform body serves both as a crucifix and as a prayer counter, according to claim 3, further characterized in that the spring element, for preventing the self-displacement or shifting of the movable elements which serve for counting the number of prayers prayed, is constituted by a steel zigzag band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 475,162 Smith May 17, 1892 FOREIGN PATENTS 548,200 France Jan. 9, 1923 640,947 Germany Jan. 15, 1937 

